Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2022
562. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Justice further to Parliamentary Question No. 56 of 5 April 2022, if she will provide an updated publication date for the findings of the high level taskforce to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of persons interacting with the criminal justice system in line with her prior commitment to have done so by the second quarter of 2022. [27263/22]
View answerLast April, together with the Minister for Health and Ministers of State Frank Feighan and Mary Butler, I established a High Level Taskforce to consider the mental health and addiction challenges of persons interacting with the criminal justice system.
In recognition of the need for a cross-Government approach to meeting the complex needs of such people, the Taskforce comprises representatives from a wide cross section of health agencies, the justice sector and other relevant stakeholders. The Taskforce is independently chaired by former Minister of State Kathleen Lynch.
I am pleased to report that work on the Taskforce has been progressing at pace since it was established in April of last year.
The Taskforce has already had ten plenary meetings and has established three subgroups on diversion; capacity issues in the Prison Service and National Forensic Mental Health Services; and community issues, including care after release.
The subgroups comprise of relevant experts, chaired by high ranking officials from the criminal justice sector, with the health leads represented and contributing to all. Each of these groups have met on at least twelve occasions.
The Taskforce has engaged with a large number of relevant bodies and civil society actors and it submitted an interim report to myself and the Minister for Health on 22 November 2021.
I understand that the work of the Taskforce is nearing completion and a first draft of the final report was discussed by the Taskforce at its meeting on 30th May. I expect to receive the final report and high level implementation plan for their recommendations in the coming weeks.
